Division II league embarks on relationship with Burlington

They’ve been dubbed “The Battles in Burlington” by Conference Carolinas, which is conducting several of its spring sports championships in and around Burlington.

Some of those competitions begin today.

There will be softball at Springwood Park, men’s and women’s lacrosse at Burlington Memorial Stadium (at Williams High School) and men’s and women’s golf at The Challenge Golf Club. Next week, there’s a baseball tournament at Burlington Athletic Stadium.

The Burlington Recreation and Parks Department, in conjunction with the Alamance County Sports Development Council, reached a multi-year agreement with the Division II conference to become the center for a number of the league’s spring championships.

This is the first year of that arrangement after the USA South Conference, a Division III circuit, moved its spring events to the Rocky Mount area this year. Burlington had been the host city for seven years.

Conference Carolinas was formerly called Carolinas-Virginias Athletic Conference, making the name change in June 2007. All the members are private schools.

Ticket prices for some events are $8 general admission, $5 for faculty, students, seniors, children, $12 for a weekend pass.

A list of Conference Carolinas participating schools follows. Note that Coker and Queens are in their final school year as league members before they go elsewhere.

Barton College

Location: Wilson

Nickname: Bulldogs

Colors: Royal blue and white

Belmont Abbey

Location: Belmont

Nickname: Crusaders

Colors: Red and white

Coker

Location: Hartsville, S.C.

Nickname: Cobras

Colors: Navy blue and gold

Converse

Location: Spartanburg, S.C.

Nickname: Valkyries

Colors: Purple and gold

Note: The school is a women’s college, competing only in women’s sports.